Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 46

Raivata and Cākṣuṣa Manvantaras; Brahmā’s Prayers at Śvetadvīpa

Prelude to Samudra-manthana

Devanagari script

तैस्तै: स्वेच्छाभूतै रूपै: काले काले स्वयं विभो । कर्म दुर्विषहं यन्नो भगवांस्तत् करोति हि ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

tais taiḥ svecchā-bhūtai rūpaiḥ kāle kāle svayaṁ vibho karma durviṣahaṁ yan no bhagavāṁs tat karoti hi

Translation

噢全能主、薄伽梵啊，依您甘美的圣意，您在一劫又一劫中示现种种化身；凡我等难以承当、不可为之的奇妙事业，唯有您亲自成就。

Synonyms

• taiḥ: by those
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṁliṅga/Neuter, Tṛtīyā (instrumental), Bahu-vacana

• taiḥ: by those (very)
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā, Bahu-vacana (repetition for emphasis: ‘by those very’)

• sva-icchā-bhūtaiḥ: assumed at will
• sva-icchā-bhūtaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (स्व) + icchā (इच्छा) + bhūta (भूत, कृदन्त)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/Neuter, Tṛtīyā, Bahu-vacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘svecchayā bhūtāni’ (become/assumed by one’s own will) qualifying rūpaiḥ

• rūpaiḥ: by forms
• rūpaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (रूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Tṛtīyā (instrumental), Bahu-vacana

• kāle: at a time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (काल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Saptamī (locative), Eka-vacana

• kāle: at (each) time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (काल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Saptamī, Eka-vacana (repetition: ‘time and again’)

• svayam: by yourself
• svayam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (स्वयम्)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• vibho: O all-powerful one
• vibho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (विभु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Eka-vacana

• karma: deed/act
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (कर्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; here Dvitīyā as object of karoti

• durviṣaham: hard to endure
• durviṣaham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (दुर् उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + viṣaha (विषह प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘duḥkhen viṣahyate’ = hard to endure, qualifying karma

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṁsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; relative pronoun referring to karma

• naḥ: for us
• naḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (genitive) / Dative sense; here ‘for us/to us’ (enclitic)

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (भगवत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (nominative), Eka-vacana

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṁsaka, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; correlative to yat

• karoti: does
• karoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, present), Prathama-puruṣa, Eka-vacana

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (हि)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) of emphasis/indeed

Purport

The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.7) :

Characters & Entities

• Vibhu (Lord Vishnu/Bhagavan)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about why Vishnu takes different forms?

This verse explains that the Lord personally assumes various forms at different times according to His own will, to accomplish divine works and protect His devotees.

Why do the demigods pray that Bhagavan performs the work for them?

Because the tasks required to restore cosmic order can be unbearable for the devas; they acknowledge that only the Supreme Lord can truly accomplish such deeds on their behalf.

Practical application of surrender to God in modern life according to this shloka?

Recognize personal limits, take refuge in Bhagavan through prayer and devotion, and trust that divine guidance can carry one through duties and crises that feel impossible alone.